The need for gender equity in urban bureaucracy

Why in the News? India’s cities will host over 800 million people by 2050. While women’s role in local politics has grown, urban bureaucracies still lack gender balance, which limits truly inclusive urban development. What challenges hinder women’s inclusion in urban bureaucracy despite higher political representation? Male-Dominated Administrative Structure: Despite 46% representation of women in… Continue reading

Two billion people don’t have safe drinking water

Why in the News? It’s shocking that 2 billion people around the world still don’t have access to safe drinking water, even though 95% of the global population uses what are called “improved water sources”. This reveals a hidden but serious public health problem. What defines ‘safe drinking water’? Safe drinking water refers to water… Continue reading

[pib] Dharti Aaba Jan-bhagidari Abhiyan (DAJA)

Why in the News? The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched Dharti Aaba Jan-bhagidari Abhiyan (DAJA), India’s largest tribal outreach and empowerment campaign to date. About Dharti Aaba Jan-bhagidari Abhiyan (DAJA): Overview: It runs from 15 June to 15 July 2025, covering over 5.5 crore tribal citizens across 1 lakh+ tribal villages and PVTG habitations.… Continue reading

In-Body CAR T-Cell Therapy

Why in the News? A new study published in Science journal shows that “In-Body CAR T-Cell Therapy” marks a breakthrough by enabling direct immune cell reprogramming for faster, safer treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. What is CAR T-Cell Therapy? Overview: CAR T-cell therapy is a treatment where a patient’s own T cells are genetically… Continue reading

India breaks into top 100 of SDG Index for the first time

Why in the News? In a major milestone, India has ranked 99th out of 167 countries in the 2025 edition of the Sustainable Development Report (SDR), released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. What are Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Definition: SDGs are 17 global goals adopted by all UN member states in 2015 to… Continue reading

Rising Evaporative Demand and Thirstwaves

Why in the News? Scientists have coined a new term, “thirstwave”, to describe spikes in evaporative demand, where a warmer atmosphere draws more water from plants, soil, and trees. What is Evaporative Demand? Definition: Evaporative demand is the measure of how much water the atmosphere can potentially absorb from land, plants, and water surfaces if… Continue reading

What is the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) Alliance?

Why in the News? The IBAT Alliance, a coalition of leading global conservation bodies, announced a record $2.5 million investment in biodiversity data for the year 2024, more than double the amount in 2023. About Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT): What is it: IBAT is a web-based biodiversity mapping and reporting platform launched in 2008… Continue reading

[24th June 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Pakistan’s role in the U.S.-West Asia calculus

PYQ Relevance: [UPSC 2018] In what ways would the ongoing US-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India? How should India respond to this situation? Linkage: This question directly addresses a central component of the “U.S.-West Asia calculus”—the US-Iran dynamic. The article explicitly states that the U.S. conducted military strikes against Iranian nuclear… Continue reading

Inflation falls but not unemployment

Why in the News? Despite headlines celebrating India’s less than 3% inflation rate in May 2025, deeper economic indicators tell a more troubling story. The same month saw a rise in unemployment from 5.1% to 5.8%, and GDP growth has slowed sharply from 9.2% in 2023-24 to 6.5% in 2024-25. What caused the recent fall… Continue reading

India needs a strategy to deal with China’s restrictions on exports of rare earths

Why in the News? The growing trade war between the U.S. and China, marked by rising tariffs, has drawn attention to rare earth elements and critical minerals. What is the role of critical minerals in key industries? Clean Energy and Digital Technologies: Critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt are essential for lithium-ion batteries,… Continue reading

50 Years of National Emergency

Why in the News? On June 26, 2025, India marks the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, imposed in 1975 by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. What is National Emergency? (Article 352) Definition: A national emergency is a constitutional provision under Article 352 of the Indian Constitution. Grounds for Proclamation: It can be proclaimed by the… Continue reading

[pib] National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)

Why in the News? The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has taken suo motu cognizance of an alleged gang rape in Odisha. About the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC): Legal Status: The NHRC is a statutory body, established in 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. Mandate: It functions as the… Continue reading

Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya Temple

Why in the News? Pilgrims have begun arriving in Guwahati, Assam, for the Ambubachi Mela, held annually at the Kamakhya Temple, one of the most sacred centres of Tantric Shaktism in India. About Ambubachi Mela: Festival Overview: Ambubachi Mela is an annual Hindu fertility festival celebrated at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam. Timing and… Continue reading

WMO’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 Report

Why in the News? The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has released its “State of the Climate in Asia, 2024” report. About the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO): Overview: It is a specialised agency of the United Nations that deals with meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences. Historical Origin: It was established in… Continue reading

In news: Prime Ministers Museum and Library

Why in the News? The 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library (PMML) Society, chaired by the Prime Minister, was recently held. About the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library (PMML) Overview: The PMML, earlier called the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), is located at Teen Murti House, just south… Continue reading

Why so many Indian students — especially from Kashmir — go to Iran for higher education

Why in the News? The recent Iran–Israel conflict has again revealed the weaknesses in India’s system of sending students abroad for medical education. Due to the conflict, India had to carry out emergency evacuations of its students from war zones, similar to what was done during the Ukraine crisis under Operation Ganga. Why do Indian… Continue reading

India trails in critical tech, particularly semiconductor tech

Why in the News? A new global index called the Critical and Emerging Technologies Index ranks 25 countries based on their strength in five key areas: AI, biotechnology, semiconductors, space, and quantum tech. India scored 15.2 overall, falling far behind top countries like the U.S., China, and those in Europe. What is the Critical and… Continue reading

Places in news: Strait of Hormuz

Why in the News? Iran’s Parliament has approved a motion to block the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns worldwide. About the Strait of Hormuz: Geographic Location: The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and eventually to the Arabian Sea. Dimensions: It is about 167… Continue reading

Induction of INS Tamal

Why in the News? The Indian Navy is set to commission INS Tamal, a stealth multi-role frigate and the last warship commissioned outside India, on July 1, 2025, at Kaliningrad, Russia. About INS Tamal: Overview: It is the 8th Krivak-class and 2nd Tushil-class stealth frigate from Russia. Last to be imported: Final Indian Navy ship… Continue reading

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